Hypertrophic Olivary Degeneration After Resection of a Pontine Cavernous Malformation: A Case Report

Authors

  • Joseph Luke Gatlin
  • Robert Wineman
  • Bruce Schlakman
  • Razvan Buciuc
  • Majid A Khan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3941/jrcr.v5i3.603

Keywords:

Magnetic resonance imaging, Computed Tomography, Hypertrophic olivary degeneration, cavernous malformation, Triangle of Guillain-Mollaret

Abstract

We report the case of a 35 year old African American female who developed hypertrophic olivary degeneration secondary to resection of a pontine cavernous malformation.  The patient initially complained of headaches and diplopia.  Unenhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the brain revealed a left pontine cavernous malformation with scattered foci of recent and remote hemorrhage.  The patient subsequently underwent surgical resection of the lesion.  Follow up MRI 7 months post surgery demonstrated hypertrophy and T2 signal hyperintensity in the ipsilateral inferior olivary nucleus secondary to hypertrophic olivary degeneration.  Familiarity with this diagnosis and its imaging characteristics is required of the radiologist to prevent erroneous diagnoses of other pathology.

Author Biographies

Joseph Luke Gatlin

Diagnostic Radiology Resident-R4 in the Deptment of Radiology

Robert Wineman

Department of Radiology-division of Neuroradiology

Bruce Schlakman

Dept of radiology-division of Neuroradiology

Razvan Buciuc

Dept of radiology and neurosurgery.  Chef of Neuroradiology section.

Majid A Khan

Department of radiology-section of neuroradiology
Diffusion restriction in thrombosed superior ophthalmic veins: Two cases of diverse etiology and literature review by Pendharkar et al.

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Published

2011-03-12

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2011)

Section

Neuroradiology

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